Read opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Loyal Homer.
We get it, the Saints won the Super Bowl… but that is SOOOO last night! For the 31 other teams in the league, Super Bowl XLIV is ancient history. So, while the Black and Gold continue their partying on Bourbon Street, the rest of the NFL is already looking ahead to what needs to be done in 2010.
Some teams have already made changes in their coaching personnel, while others are getting ready for free agency and the draft. Then there is the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins may not have had the worst record in the NFL, but I still believe they were the worst team in the NFL. Of their 4-12 record, they only managed to beat ONE team with a better record than them, the 8-8 Denver Broncos. Their remaining three wins came against the 1-15 Rams (whom they BARELY beat by a score of 9-7), the 3-13 Buccaneers (in another nailbiter – 16-13), and the 4-12 Raiders. Among their losses were teams like the 4-12 Kansas City Chiefs and the 2-14 Detroit Lions (which, by the way, snapped a Lions’ losing streak that spanned into three different NFL seasons).
No team underwhelmed quite like the Redskins did in 2009. As a result of the lackluster showing, their (former) head coach, Jim Zorn, was stripped of all play calling responsibilities only six weeks into the season. Everyone knew it would be just a matter of time before Zorn was fired, and the only question was to try and guess just how bad the state of the team would be when the axe finally fell.
Allow me to answer that question for newly appointed head coach Mike Shanahan – the state of the team is TERRIBLE! The laundry-list of problems Shanahan must solve before the 2010 season gets underway is extremely daunting. Unfortunately, there is not a single issue that can be EASILY remedied!
For his part, Shanahan has been to the promised-land as a head coach, and has two Super Bowl rings already to his credit. It should be noted, though, that was with a Denver Broncos team that included John Elway, Rod Smith, Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe, and a host of other outstanding athletes. This Redskins organization that he is inheriting is a completely different monster, and it will be an arduous uphill battle for Shanahan if fans in our nation’s capital expect to see ANY results.
To begin with, Shanahan must first build his coaching staff. He has gotten a jump on this particular assignment, including the hiring of his own son, Kyle, as the new offensive coordinator. His biggest problem, however, is going to be in deciding the direction he wants to take his team with regard to the players in his locker-room, including a MAJOR deficiency at the quarterback position.
I will say it again – Jason Campbell is NOT a solid quarterback in the NFL. Do not let his numbers fool you. With 3,618 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 64.5 percent accuracy, it appears that Campbell is a good passer. When you break down those numbers a bit further, though they it tell a much different story. To begin with, the only stat that he was among the top-10 quarterbacks in the league in during 2009 was interceptions, of which he threw 15.
The Redskins spent much of 2009 playing from behind. As such, they saw a lot of soft coverage in the defenses they faced, and even the prevent. It is not surprising, then, to find out that Campbell’s only REAL effectiveness came in situations when the ‘Skins trailed by at least two scores. During those games when the Redskins were behind by at least nine points, Campbell threw for a combined total of five touchdowns and only one interception. When the scoring margin was +/- 8 points (which usually brings tighter pass coverage on the defensive side of the ball), Campbell was good for only eight touchdowns, but he threw TEN interceptions.
Likewise, he only had two games in the season where he threw for more than 300-yards, both of which came in losses. To counter those totals, he had six games with LESS THAN 200-yards passing. In the game against the Kansas City Chiefs he threw the ball only 16 times for 89 yards and an interception before finally being benched for backup quarterback Todd Collins.
Compounding the problems that come from lacking a reliable quarterback are the locker-room issues that stem from a losing mentality. Running back Clinton Portis, who is no stranger to controversy, once again made headlines for his locker-room antics… which included an incident where Portis admittedly approached the Redskins coaches during a game and requested they bench one of his teammates, fullback Mike Sellers.
After the season ended, Portis was at it again. Only this time it was in a war of words with Jason Campbell. During an interview, Portis criticized Campbell for not being a leader, which evoked a very quick and harsh response from Campbell.
These are just some of the examples of the mess that Shanahan has been tasked with trying to clean up. The Washington Redskins (who are already in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions with the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Eagles) have a LOT to fix this offseason, and they do not have much time to get it done.
